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Minnesota Twins find MLB medical database useful

By Ben Goesslingbgoessling@pioneerpress.com

Posted:
12/05/2012 12:01:00 AM CST

Updated:
12/05/2012 09:13:08 PM CST

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Before the Twins offered contracts to several pitchers this week at the MLB winter meetings, they needed to research the medical history of the free agents in whom they were interested, well before their own doctors could evaluate those players.

But thanks to a MLB-wide database of medical information, the Twins and other teams are able to do their homework early.

It is standard practice in baseball to require players to pass a physical before a contract is finalized, but the database at least allows teams to verify an agent's claim that a player is healthy or assess a player's injury risk before offering a contract.

"All of us have the ability to go in (to the database)," general manager Terry Ryan said. "We get an identification number, and we can check on the medical (records). It's all 30 clubs. You can't hide it."